Review: Mondrian Doha Hotel

After visiting and staying at so many amazing hotels around the world, I thought I have seen it all. Enter Mondrian Doha, the latest addition to a hustling and bustling city that seems to be adding a new building/hotel/skyscraper every week.

Mondrian Doha, designed by Marcel Wanders, one of the most creative minds of our time features 211 bedrooms and 59 suites over 24 floors and a spectacular 2000 square metre ballroom with its own 24K gold elevator, Mondrian Doha redefines lifestyle in the city.

But design is not the only thing the hotel can boast about. Mondrian Doha is home to Chef Masaharu Morimoto’s world renowned flagship restaurant where you can sample the signature omakase and the finest sushi along with Japanese Wagyu beef. Another culinary powerhouse is CUT by Wolfgang Puck who also makes its debut in Qatar. The three other culinary outlets at the hotel are Walima which serves Qatari and Middle-Eastern cuisine, the Hudson Tavern which is known for its New York-style burgers, and Magnolia Bakery to satisfy your sweet tooth.

As you are approaching the hotel from the outside, you start realizing you are in for a visual treat. The hotel building lies in the middle of what looks a lot like the known Bird’s Nest stadium in Beijing. As you walk in, you will immediately notice one of the prettiest hotel lobbies with a beautiful, tall staircase and a tastefully colorful ceiling. Thanks to Muhammad from the concierge desk for entertaining my request to pose with the staircase to give my pictures some scale!

A post shared by George Rishan (@gmr83) on Mar 19, 2018 at 10:38pm PDT

Check in was quick, but could have been faster, especially after a tedious journey, but the wait is made better by a delicious cold lemon beverage that is served. The room’s design matched the luxury of what I had just seen in the lobby, coupled with unmatched views of Doha’s skyline, and a bathroom that was begging for me to enter.

However, it was getting dark soon and I wanted to head out to the pool areas to check its design as well after seeing so many pictures of it. And boy, did it not disappoint! The same color theme from the lobby’s colorful ceiling is used here to cover the indoor pool with a beautiful dome. The floor is striped in black and white for the added quirkiness. Unfortunately, the hotel’s pool closes at 6 PM to give room to a fabulous skybar aptly named Rise. Thanks to Djo for snapping a few pictures of me before it got too dark!

A post shared by George Rishan (@gmr83) on Mar 28, 2018 at 10:39pm PDT

Breakfast was not included in my room rate but I still tried it. While the food was good as expected at a luxurious hotel like this, the presentation felt a bit underwhelming compared to the trendiness and flair of the hotel. I would recommend adding a live cooking station and a better presentation of the various sections of food. The in-room dining experience was excellent despite the minor mistake with my order (white bread instead of brown) which, in defense of the staff, they tried to fix but I was too hungry to wait.

Although I didn’t have the chance to visit, but the hotel is also home to a traditional Turkish Hammam, the first of its kind in the city.

Location wise, the hotel is in close proximity to the Lagoona Mall, the Pearl and Katara areas, which makes it ideal for tourists on a short stay in Doha.